WESTERN BUREAU:BRIDGEPORT HIGH, the Corporate Area schoolboy football double winners are 90 minutes away from their first hold on the all-island Olivier Shield after stealing yesterday's first leg 3-2 against Rural Area double winners Cornwall College at Jarrett Park.
The loss was the second this season for Cornwall, snapping a 12-game unbeaten streak stretching back to October 3, and the first time they gave up more than two goals in one game in more than two years. Cornwall have surrendered two goals in a game only twice this season.
Two mistakes late in the game by Cornwall's goalkeeper Richard McCallum gifted goal poacher Dean Thompson a brace as he turned around a 2-1 deficit to record a good victory.
McCallum's Olivier Shield nightmare at Jarrett Park continued from last season when he was ruled by referee Victor Stewart to have carried the ball over the line in the return leg for what was the clinching goal for Norman Manley High.
Yesterday, Cornwall took the lead through Garrick Gordon at the end of the first half, which they dominated. Kemar Peterkin equalised for Bridgeport early in the second half but a brilliant goal from Deshaun Woolery gave Cornwall what looked to be the winner going into Thursday's return leg at Harbour View.
Cornwall were made to pay dearly for numerous missed chances, especially from top goalscorer Gordon.
Bridgeport's coach Anthony Patrick was beside himself with joy after the game, predicting "it will be curtains for Cornwall at Harbour View" as it "would be very, very difficult for Cornwall (to beat us) at Harbour View".
He said he was not pleased with how his team played as he said it took only three of the "many chances" created and admitted that "it was Cornwall who played the entire first half" of the game.
Cornwall's Dr. Dean Weatherly was less than pleased with what he saw, especially in the second half and said his team got "too complacent and was not able to keep its composure".
Cornwall looked to be cruising to the first-leg advantage as they sought their first Olivier Shield title in 18 years and 11th overall before their world caved in by two bad blunders by the national Under-17 goalkeeper.
He gave up the tying goal in the 88th minute when he inexplicably watched a high cross from the right flank drop just in front of the bar which was headed in by Thompson. McCallum appeared to have thought the ball was headed outside and was casual in just putting out a hand to guide it.
Four minutes later, two minutes into time added on by referee Peter Prendergast, he casually attempted to clear a ball bouncing easily to him but kicked it straight to the Bridgeport forward who helped himself to the winning goal.
